This invention relates to a lighter, particularly a small portable lighter of the type used to light cigarettes, cigars and other small combustible items.
With lighters presently available such as with the prior art lighter hereinafter described it is possible for children to cause the lighter to ignite by operating an ignition device by relatively simple manual manipulation. Such ignition could also occur accidentally when the lighter is contained in a pocket, handbag or similar container. It will of course be apparent that such a situation where the lighter can be ignited by children or accidentally is undesirable and dangerous.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a lighter that will obviate or minimise the foregoing disadvantages in a simple yet effective manner or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Accordingly the invention consists in a lighter including a housing, ignition means for the lighter, the ignition means including a member manually moveable with respect to the housing, a lock between the manually moveable member and the housing, and release means manually operable to release the lock to allow the manually moveable member to move relative to the housing to allow or cause ignition of the lighter, the release means requiring manual movement to release the lock in a direction different to the direction of movement of the manually moveable member to allow or cause ignition.
Preferably the manually moveable member comprises a cap rotatably mounted on the lighter and the lock is mounted on the cap.
Preferably the cap is hollow and the lock comprises a bar moveable in a channel in the cap, the bar being biased to a position wherein the distal end of the bar engages or abuts part of the housing to substantially prevent movement of the cap relative to the housing.
Preferably the lock further comprises a release member pivotally mounted on the cap, the release member having one end extending from the cap to receive in use manual pressure and engaging the bar at or adjacent the other end thereof
Preferably the angle of movement between the direction of movement of the release member to cause release of the cap from the housing is substantially at right angles to the direction of the movement of the cap relative to the housing to affect the ignition of the lighter.
Preferably the bar is biased by a compression spring within the cap.
Preferably the bar has a notch in the distal end thereof to engage an adjacent edge of the housing.
Preferably the end of the release member is bifurcated, one arm passing each side of the spring to engage lugs on the bar.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.